Device for feeding current to electrically-driven cars.



2 Sheefs-Sheet Patente d Sept. l9, I399.

No. sa3,|s5.

C. F. P. STENDEBAGH. DEVICE FOR FEEDING CURRENT T0 ELEGTRICALLY DRIVENCARS. (Applicatioh filed A 'r. 1, 1898.)

{No Model.)

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I c. F. P. STENDEBACH.

DEVICE FOR FEEDING CURRENT T0 ELE CTRICALLY DRIVEN CARS.

(Application filed Apr. 1, 1898.) (No Model.) 7 2 SheetsSheet 2.

THE ncnms Farms (20., mom-u'mou WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT UEEICE.

CARL FRIEDRICH PHILIPP STENDEBACH, OF LEIPSIO, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR FEEDING CURRENT T0 ELECTRlCALLY-DRIVEN CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,165, datedSeptember 19, 1899.

Application filed April 1, 1898. Serial No. 676,114. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL FRIEDRICH PHIL- IPP STENDEBACH, a subject ofthe King of Saxony, residing at Leipsic, in the Kingdom of scription.The present invention consists of a device for feeding current toelectrically-driven cars.

The invention comprises the details of construction hereinafter 'setforth and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In order to render the present specification more easily intelligible,reference is bad to the accompanying drawings, in which similar figuresof reference denote similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a part cross-section through a tram-line with the feedmechanism out of operation; Fig. 2, a part side elevation of Fig. 1,showing the contact-boxes in longitudinal section; Fig. 3, alongitudinal section through the channel in which the levers are locatedwhich are operated by the plow to make contact with the main conductors;Fig. 4, acrosssection through the device as adapted for a permanent Way;Fig. 5, a plan of Fig. 4.

According to the present invention a plow running below the rail isemployed to operate a series of contacts which establish communicationsuccessively to a series of supplypoints arranged intermediate of therails, and the current is conveyed to the car-driving organ by means ofa runner adapted to brush over the said contact supply-points. For thepurposes of the present specification, therefore, the device foroperating the contacts will be termed the plow, the means for conveyingthe electricity from the supply-contacts arranged intermediate of therails the runher, the said contact-points the supplycontacts, and thedevices for establishing contact between the main conductor and thesupply-contacts the main contact.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the contact-box 1 is also employed to supportthe rails in the ease of tram-lines and is in connection with a channel10 advantageously of sheet-steel or the like, said channel passingthrough a correspondingly-formed part of said box 1. A

branch 3 from the main conductor and the branch'condalctor 4, leading tothe supplycontact 19, each enter the bottom of the box 1 and have theirends so arranged as to be capable of being connected electrically bymeans of the contacts 6, arranged in the cage or bell 15, said contactswhen lowered contacting with the ends 5 of the said conductors 3 and 4,and thus supplying current to the supply contact 19. From this point thecurrent is conveyed to the driving organ of the car by means of therunner 18, attached to the car, and which will be hereinafter moreparticularly described. The contacts 5 and 6 are covered by a bell 15,the lower edge of which dips in a channel containing quicksilver. Thusthe said contact is air-tightly closed, and no moisture can penetrate toit and cause the parts to rust. The main contact is operated by a plow17, extending from the car down into the channel 10, in which thecontact-opcrating levers 9 are located. These levers 9 are double-armlevers and are fast on a shaft 11, mounted in and extending transverselythrough the box 1. Fast to the shaft 11 is an eccentric 14, whichoperates a lever mechanism 8, vertically guided and having its lower endbent round to extend through the quicksilver Q, underneath the bell 15,within which it is attached to the bow or frame 7, carrying the contacts6. When the shaft 11 is turned by the action of the plow on the lever 9,the eccentric 14 operates to depress the lever mechanism 8, whichcarries the contact-piece 6 7 down with it and makes contact between themain conductor and the supply-contact 19. When the plow releases thelever 9, the parts are returned to their initial position by means ofthe spring 13 of the eccentricrod and the counterpoise 12 on the arm oflever 9. The counterpoise 12 could, if desired, be arranged within thechamber 1. A door 16 enables communication between the box 1 and thechannel 10. As will be seen from Fig.' 3, the plow 17 is of sufficientlength to depress the next lever 9 before it has released the first one,and so on. The runner 18, on the other hand, is advantageously shorterby a small distance than the plow, so that it will have passed over thesupply-contact and a short distance beyond the same before thecurrent-supply to the said contact has been cut oh", and thus theformation of sparks at the main contact will be effectually avoided.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the invention in connection with a permanentway. In this case the boxes 1 are provided advantageously with lateralflanges 1, and the conductor 4 to the supply-contact 19 is mounted inthe cover ot' the box. The contact end 5 of the conductor 3 is mountedin the insulated block 7, while the contact end 6, which is inconnection with the branch line 4, is mounted on the swinging leverpivoted to the cover 15 ot' the box. All these parts are inclosedair-tightly by means otthe walls 15, extending down into the quicksilverchannel and acting similarly to the bell 15 of Figs. 1 to 3. Thecontacteoperating-lever system S is pivoted at 22 below the quicksilverand has one arm extending upwardly at each side of the wall 15. Theouter arm is engaged by the bifurcated end 2* of the bell-crank lever 9,having roll 25 adapted to be depressed by the plow 17. The counterpoise12 is also mounted on a bell-crank lever, Fig. 4, having a roll 27 atits lower end, against which a downwardlyextending arm 24, fast to theshaft of the bellcrank lever 9, rests. The upwardly-extending inner endof the arm or lever system 8 bears against a roll 26, mounted on the endof the swinging lever carrying the contact 6, said lever being pulledtoward the contact5 by means of a spring 6, but normally held out ofcontact with same by the action of the counterpoise 12. \Vhen the roll25 is depressed,

the lever mechanism 8 will be thrown over and allow the spring 6 to makecontact between 5 and 6 and allow current to flow to the supply-contact19, whence it will be conveyed to the driving organ of the car throughthe runner 18.

I claim as my invention- The combination of a box mounted in proximityto the rail of a line, a contact-point therein for a main conductor anda branch conductor, as specified, a movable contactpiece to establishcontact, a bell surrounding said contacts and having its lower edgeimmersed in quicksilver as specified, a rotary shaft mounted inproximity to said contacts, a pivoted lever extending through saidquicksilver and operatively connected to said movable contact, and meansin connection with said rotary shaft to operate said lever, when saidshaft is turned, a lever fast on said shaft and extending in proximityto a passing car, means in connection with said car to rotate saidlever, a supply-contact intermediate of the rails and in connection withsaid branch conductor and a runner on the car to contact with saidsupply-contact when the main contact is closed in the manner and for thepurpose substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

CARL FRIEDRICH llillllll S'lllNDllliAtll.

Witnesses:

IIERM. SACK, RUDoLPH FRIoKE.

